Chidambaram Subramaniam

Chidambaram Subramaniam (commonly known as CS) (30 January 1910 – 7 November 2000) was an Indian politician and independence activist. He served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence in the union cabinet. He later served as the Governor of Maharashtra. As the Minister for Food and Agriculture, he ushered the Indian Green Revolution, an era of self-sufficiency in food production along with M. S. Swaminathan, B. Sivaraman and Norman E. Borlaug. He was awarded Bharat Ratna, Indian's highest civilian award, in 1998, for his role in ushering Green Revolution.

Early life and education Subramaniam was born in Senguttaipalayam a village near Pollachi in Coimbatore district, Presidency of Fort St. George (now the Tamil Nadu state). His inspiration was his uncle Swami Chidbhavananda.

Political career

Early years Subramaniam was an active member of the Civil disobedience movement against the British during his college days. He was imprisoned during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Finance ministry and emergency When the Indian National Congress split in 1969, he became the interim president of the Congress (R) faction led by Indira Gandhi. Later, he was appointed Minister of Finance in the union cabinet by Indira Gandhi. He advised her to devalue Indian rupee and was the finance minister during the Emergency in 1976.

Subramaniam died on 7 November 2000 at the age of 90 in Chennai. At his death, he was the last surviving cabinet minister who had served under Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the last surviving cabinet minister from the Shastri and Nanda cabinets.

Awards Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, 1998 Y. B. Chavan National Integration Award U Thant peace award, 1996 Norman Borlaug award, 1996 Anuvrat award, 1988 A commemorative postage stamp was also released in his honour in 2010.

Shri Chidambaram Subramaniam Award - For Excellence in Character has been instituted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans which is awarded to its students annually.